BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ SALARIES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25741, 1 March 1949, Page 3

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ SALARIES

SOME “RIDICULOUSLY HIGH ”

GOVERNMENT SAID TO BE MAKING PACE “The huge expansion of Government offices and the easy conditions and attractive salaries offered are making it difficult for private enterprise to compete,” said the chairman (Mr Colin Mclntosh) in his report to the annual meeting of the Farm Accounting Association at Christchurch last evening. He was referring to the staffing problems of commercial firms. Office boys and girls were in short supply and were in a position to sell their services to the highest bidder; consequently some ridiculously high salaries were being paid to boys and girls who had just left school, said Mr Mclntosh In this respect the Government made the pace and was largely responsible for the high salaries that had to be paid to beginners who had passed the school certificate stage. “I must qualify this statement by excluding the manufacturer who comes under the heading of a new industry.” said Mr Mclntosh, referring to the difficulties of private firms in obtaining staff. “All too often this type of employer can recoup the whole of his costs plus a substantial profit. In many cases he is selling an inferior article which has to be bought because of import restrictions. Needless to say, he gets what office assistance he wants and does not worry unduly about the cost.”

How many housewives would buy New Zealand-made china. New Zea-land-made silver or silver-plate. New Zealand-made soap-savers, or many of our New Zealand-made articles if they could purchase the imported equivalent? asked Mr Mclntosh. Mr Anthony Eden had appealed very strcngly for New Zealand’s support to help Britain get on its feet by buying more British manufactured goods. This was something all farmers would like to see and he ventured to say that this view was endorsed by many in the cities, said Mr Mclntosh.